Illustration: Andrew Mazariegos-Ovalle/The Olaf Messenger
I’ve been to Florida once when I was about 10 or 11 and I’ve been to New York twice — once when I was 13 and once last year. This being said, my opinion may be influenced by when I’ve traveled where, the subjectivity of memory, and the activities I did in each location.
This might be an unpopular opinion, but when it comes to the best vacation destination to spend the holidays, I think New York is far superior to Florida. Now, I’m not telling you to not go to Florida if you want to — we all have our reasons for travel and want to have unique experiences. Sometimes, however, you need to look past trying to stay warm 24/7. You could travel somewhere warmer, or you can find the holiday spirit in the cold yet magnificent snowfall of the North and East Coasts. I’m not stopping you from going ahead and seeing the gators. New York City, however, is really the place to be for the holidays.
Around Christmas, cities fill with opportunities for shopping and wandering around. Spoil yourself in all the different shopping malls and stores. If you are a giant nerd like me, you can head to the big Nintendo Store of America or J&L Game to happily spend hundreds of dollars on video games, plushies, and consoles with your hard-earned money.
Trust me, you want to go ice skating in the Rockefeller Center — the best place to do it. How romantic would it be to be skating with your partner as you hold each other’s hands, warmly and gently, skating around time and time again, and catching them in your arms if they ever fall? Afterwards, you can get a treat while talking for hours and hours about how much fun you both had. Even if you’re skating alone, you will have fun skating around at the biggest winter attraction in New York City.
While you’re there, I’d recommend a visit to the Museum of Modern Art, too. It’s worthwhile to see the wonderful works of art from throughout the centuries and to observe the intricate details in them, old and new.
Florida was a good place to visit, but my trips to New York were life-changing. All the experiences I had, the places I visited, and the things I ate were simply amazing. Even when it is colder out, you can still find a way to have as much fun as possible and go places on your bucket list. Learn to truly appreciate the cold and explore the big city of New York. I urge you to immerse yourself in the street lights and beaming colors at the heart of New York City.
Louise Skokan is from Minneapolis. Their major is undeclared.
